"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 12 - Eloise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

woman's faultтАФwhy had he ever saved her?

Taking the proffered glass she said, quietly, "Choi, you amaze
me."

"In what way, Eloise?"

"In your acceptance."

"Of what?" He frowned, genuinely puzzled. "Things are what
they areтАФwhat they have always been. We are born, we live, we
leave. It is as simple as that."

"Leave?" Her voice was faintly mocking. "Don't you mean that
you die?"
 Flushing, he said in a high voice, "Now listen, I know that
you're a stranger, but that is no way to talk. You've been here
long enough to have learned our customs. We don'tтАФdie." He
seemed to gag on the word. "We are converted."

"Yes," she said.

"Changed! Improved!" His voice was now almost a scream.
"Thichent knew that. He realized and accepted it. He was proud
to be the first. To pay his debt to the city, to us, to Camolsaer."

"Who are you trying to convince?" she said flatly. "Me or
yourself?"

"Adara!"

Adara answered the appeal, taking her by the arm and
guiding her away from Choi, the others who had overheard.
Beneath his fingers he felt the quivering of her flesh, the anger
which threatened to consume her. A pair of girls ran towards
them, long streamers of bright fabric in their hands, the material
breaking beneath his impatient gesture. Pouting at their spoiled
pleasure, they ran towards others more receptive of their
attention.

"Eloise, why be so foolish?"

"You call it that?"

"To upset Choi and the others, yes."

"To upset them?" She shrugged. "To teach them, you mean.
To try and reach them. To stop them from being so blind."

"To spoil their pleasure." His voice was brittle with